Never Letting You Go
by wallofcrazy
Summary: Before leaving for Midvale, there was one more thing Kara needed to do.


**I've been trying to ignore the itch to write this for a few days now… Guess who won…**

* * *

After leaving the bar, Kara took her sister back to her place so she could pack a bag for their impromptu trip to Midvale the following morning. Kara then flew them back to her own apartment, knowing it would be good for Alex to also spend the night away from home.

Once Kara had packed her own bag, she laid in bed next to her inebriated, heartbroken, passed out sister, and in the comfort of her own bed, Kara found herself feeling drained.

Not of her powers, not of her physical energy. Those were fine. She was exhausted, sure. That had been a long, tiresome day, but she could still lift another airplane without breaking a sweat.

When Kara rested her head on the pillow and curled into herself as she watched her sister's chest rise and fall with her heavy breathing, while she waited for her own sleep to come, when she was finally able to take a deep cleansing breath and allow her muscles to relax, she realized there was no way she would manage to fall asleep.

She was exhausted, yes, but there was still one last thing she needed to do.

* * *

 **Kara**

 **[01:47]:** Are you still at Sam's?

* * *

 **Lena**

 **[01:49]:** I just got home a few minutes ago.

 **[01:49]:** Is everything alright?

* * *

It took Kara exactly 29 seconds to arrive at Lena's penthouse's veranda.

She saw a dim light coming through the tinted sliding glass doors; the curtains were open and she didn't have to use her x-ray vision to make up Lena's silhouette on the couch.

She tapped on the glass door and Lena jumped.

Kara grimaced. She should have thought this through, but when she read Lena's text that she was already home she just grabbed her phone and glasses, scribbled a note for Alex in case she woke up, something Kara was sure wasn't going to happen, and she simply flew out of her window, in her pajamas.

Lena breathed in relief when she saw it was Kara, but her face immediately adopted an alarmed expression.

"I didn't know Supergirl gave lifts this late at night," Lena said with a humorous tone as she slid the door open for Kara to enter, but Kara noticed the slight tremor in her voice, the change in the rhythm of her heartbeat.

Kara had left Sam's house when Alex called and then she had given Lena a quick call to ask for a few days off so she could go back home to Midvale with Alex. Lena had promptly agreed and once they hung up she wasn't expecting Kara to contact her for a while after that, let alone show up at her veranda door in the middle of the night wearing only a unicorn pajamas set and fuzzy socks.

"You were willing to die," Kara said with a weak tone in lieu of a comeback to Lena's attempt at a playful greeting.

Lena's posture changed. She had a short silk black robe over her nightwear, and upon hearing what Kara had just said her instinct was to tie the garment around her middle. "Supergirl told you?"

Lena _was_ willing to die. She would never be able to live with herself if people died because of some petty vendetta Edge had against her. If her death was all that it would take to prevent those chemicals from being released and harming a multitude of innocent people, she was ready to accept that fate.

It shouldn't be a hard choice to make. Supergirl would have saved the lives of thousands if she were able to keep a hold of that plane. What was the price of one life, _her_ life, for the greater good?

"I wouldn't be able to live with myself if people died over Edge's crusade against me," Lena answered almost defensively.

Kara took a few steps closer trapping Lena between the back of the couch and her body.

"You are not disposable," Kara said firmly. She felt like she would burst at any moment with so many feelings coursing through her body. The image of Lena hanging on that plane was still burning in her eyes, the fear of losing yet another person still too tangible.

"Kara, what would have you done? Would you have asked to be saved?" Lena said in a tone that started off as exasperation but ended with a pleading nuance when she noticed Kara's watery eyes.

Kara let out a long, deep exhale. Lena could sense her distress, the tension that had settled between them, and she didn't know what to make of it.

All of that easy-going celebration they had on Sam's couch seemed like it happened ages ago and not mere hours before.

"Kara, what's going on?" Lena asked worriedly, not really understanding where all of this was coming from. She knew Kara would have made the same decision she did. Kara had lost someone earlier that year, the life of one for the safety of thousands of others.

Kara took one more step and rested her forehead on Lena's collarbone, and Lena immediately wrapped her arms around her best friend.

"I _need_ you to know that you are not disposable," Kara said into Lena's neck. "I need you to understand that your life matters and that," Kara's voice broke and Lena felt tears sliding down her cleavage so she tightened her hold on Kara, "That I don't know what I would've done if you weren't able to climb that fuselage."

"Kara?" Lena called her best friend's name in a tense manner, enunciating each syllable as it was the first time she had ever said that combination of letters.

Upon hearing her name Kara took a step back and used her hands to dry her tears.

In the past year or so a lot of turning points had taken place in Kara's life.

She had become a reporter.

She had found a best friend in Lena, someone who saw Kara for who she was and not for all that she represented in the persona of her superhero identity.

She found out her foster-father was alive and that he was also working with CADMUS.

Her sister was almost killed by someone they knew from their teen years.

The Daxamites invaded Earth and someone she cared about had been exiled to the outer space.

Today her best friend had almost died, her best friend who was willing to give up her own life to preserve the lives of thousands.

And Kara wouldn't let her. Kara _couldn't_ let her.

When Kara laid on her bed that night, when she was able to turn off all stimuli from the outside world, she was left with a screaming truth inside her mind.

She would never let Lena go.

If it came to it, she _would_ have picked Lena over everyone else.

And that realization knocked the air out of her like a punch in the stomach would.

Kara had already lost so many people. She had already lost so much, and that thought alone would have been enough for her to second guess her hero personality and do the selfish thing.

But it wasn't about not losing anyone else.

The choice Kal said he would never be able to make, Kara now understood that like it was the most obvious truth she had ever faced.

So that's when she texted Lena and decided that she couldn't go another night without telling her best friend about her being Supergirl. That was when she realized she was in love with Lena and that she would always do anything in her power to defend her, to protect her from anyone who tried to harm her. She would protect Lena even from Lena herself.

And that realization propelled her into flying out of her window.

"That's not right," Kara exhaled, "I know exactly what I would have done." Kara shook her head and Lena drew in a sharp breath because she knew what was about to come out of her best friend's mouth.

How could she not have realized that sooner? All the signs were there. The unwavering belief Kara had in her; Supergirl showing up every time she was in danger; Supergirl making the decision to liberate lead in the atmosphere when she knew what was at stake for Kara; Kara's unsurmountable appetite and flimsy excuses.

Kara was Supergirl.

And just like that, everything made complete sense.

"I know exactly what I would've done because I would have picked you," Kara revealed taking her glasses off and Lena turned her face as she took in a shuddering breath.

"That's not your decision to make, Kara," Lena said between her teeth as she turned to face Kara again.

"I know that," Kara agreed with a nod, "But when it comes to you… I realized I'll never be able to make the decision to let you go because I," Kara's voice broke, "I wouldn't be able to live with myself then."

Lena's breath caught in her throat. She knew of Kara's unwavering trust in her. She knew Kara had, in many occasions, gone above and beyond for her, but this, this was something she wouldn't let her mind dare to hope for. She needed to hear it spelled out. "What are you saying, Kara?"

"I'm saying," Kara took a step further and grabbed Lena's hands in hers as they locked eyes. "That you are too important to me; that you are _good_ … Too good for your own good and that's the thing I love the most about you, even if it drives me crazy with worry," Kara chuckled, "And what I'm saying is that when you were hanging from that plane all I could think about was that I would never, will never let you go because… I'm in love with you, Lena Luthor."

"You're in love with me?" Lena echoed the statement back in disbelief.

"That's what I just said."

They were still standing near the couch, Lena's bottom was resting on the back of the couch and Kara was in front of her, their linked hands hanging between them.

"You're Supergirl," Lena hummed.

"You're just going to repeat everything I said?" Kara said with a hint of teasing but when Lena just stared at her blankly she added, "Do you want me to go?" Kara asked taking a step back, fearing Lena needed space to process everything that she had just confessed. It had been a long day and maybe that wasn't the right approach, but Kara knew she had to say all of that before she went away on her trip, otherwise, she feared she would lose the jolt of courage that seemed to have been injected on her.

Lena started to laugh. A loud, throaty laugh that had Kara wanting to join her and at the same time it left her terrified that she had done permanent damage to her friend.

Lena had been in love with Kara for as long as she could remember, it started when they first met, if she was really looking for a direct, precise, cliché answer. The connection she shared with Kara, the pull Kara had on her was unlike any other relationship Lena had ever had. She knew instantly that there was something there, but she never thought of acting on it because not only Kara was her only friend in National City, Lena wasn't sure Kara felt the same way about her, and she wasn't willing to sacrifice a friendship like theirs for a possibility.

"Of all the ways to end this day, this is not what I was expecting," Lena declared once she recomposed herself.

"Is that a good thing?" Kara asked nervously, fumbling with her fingers.

"Yes, that's a very good thing," Lena answered stretching an arm in front of her reaching for Kara, and Kara just closed the distance between them and enveloped her arms around Lena.

"I'm really glad you think so," Kara said leaning her head into Lena's neck and they stayed like that for a few minutes, just holding each other.

"I'm in love with you, too, you know," Lena's voice traveled through the serene atmosphere that had settled between them.

"You are?" Kara asked lifting her head from Lena's shoulder.

Lena nodded, her teeth impulsively biting shyly into her lower lip, something Kara noticed and so did Lena.

Kara's eyes met Lena's and all it took was an almost imperceptible movement of Lena's head and the skipping of a beat in her heart that Kara was able to detect and then their lips were crashing in a searing kiss. All the pent-up energy, fear, stress from the tumultuous day gone the moment their lips met for the first time.

Lena pressed her fingers into Kara's side, and Kara brought her hands to cup Lena's nape as she guided their movements, their noses bumped when Kara adjusted her head and Lena smiled into the kiss. Kara took that opportunity to sweep her tongue through Lena's lower lip and when the tip of Lena's tongue surged forward and touched hers invitingly, they both moaned into each other's mouths.

It only took a few moments for their intense kiss to turn into a make-out session. As their tongues got acquainted with each other's mouths, Kara's hands roamed through Lena's back while Lena's framed Kara's face. Lena ran a bare ankle up on Kara's covered calf eliciting a whimpering from Kara. When Kara pressed her body into Lena's a bit too further than their positions allowed, the couch moved a little with the force of their bodies. Lena took that opportunity to let her body fall backward on the large deep sofa, bringing Kara with her.

Kara squealed at the sudden change in position and Lena let out an oomph sound when Kara's body collided with hers on the cushions.

"I don't think I thought this through," Lena said with a chuckle and a slight wince as she adjusted her head on one of the throw pillows gathered behind her.

"Did I hurt you?" Kara asked concerned, touching Lena's cheek.

"No, it was just like I bumped into something very firm," Lena reassured her, squeezing the muscles on both of Kara's arms to make a point.

"I'm sorry," Kara said dropping a feather kiss to Lena's jaw, and then another followed. Kara's lips lingered there for a few seconds. When Kara's breath touched Lena's skin a shudder ran through her body.

"I'd say stop apologizing because I'm fine, but if this is what your apologies look like, go ahead, keep apologizing," Lena joked as Kara pressed another kiss to the spot she had just kissed, and Kara chuckled.

"I love you," Kara spoke softly into the crook of Lena's neck, and Lena brought her closer to her.

"I love you, too," Lena whispered, tracing her palm up and down on Kara's back. "How long can you stay?"

"A little while more, Alex is… She's passed out," Kara spoke somberly.

"If there's anything I can do…" Lena offered, knowing Kara was hurting for her sister, even if she didn't say it out loud.

Kara lifted her head. "You already are," she brought a hand to caress Lena's face. "Those days you gave me, they'll be of great help," Kara said and kissed the corner of Lena's mouth before resting her head once again on Lena's shoulder.

Lena hummed in acknowledgment and kissed the top of Kara's head, "Anything for you." Lena tightened her hold on Kara's middle and Kara sunk further into her.

Kara and Lena knew they still had a lot to figure out. They both knew there were a lot of topics that needed to be discussed; a lot of things that needed to be worked through, but after the day, the year they had, being able to simply hold the person they loved was a gift they were not willing to let go.

That night, being in each other's arms was everything they needed to move forward, together. Everything else could just wait a little longer.

 **I'm not sure about the way it turned out... I hope at least a few of you liked it. I'd love to read your thoughts. :)**


End file.
